The Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury where history and comfort charmingly coexist

Last updated 2 December 2022

My father was an avid storyteller who wrote a detailed memoir, tracing his family history and sharing memories from his childhood growing up in the South Australian town of Port Lincoln.

Unfortunately, because I was too preoccupied with raising my three young sons and my ‘busy’ life I never found time to read his ‘recollections’ while dad was around. And sadly, the opportunity to chat and ask questions extinguished with his passing in April 2017. 

The Pandemic lockdowns changed that. During those long weeks when we weren’t allowed to leave our homes further than a 50-kilometre radius, I was content to sit quietly and leaf through some of the 200-plus pages. I gathered a sense of who my father was through his detailed and animated descriptions. I wanted to know more.

My father’s book, his death five years earlier, and the fact I’d never visited his birthplace, inspired me to make a nostalgic trip to the Eyre Peninsula at the end of last year (2021.) There was an added bonus, a close friend who I hadn’t seen for years because she was living overseas, had recently moved to Laura in the southern Flinders Ranges. Laura is a two-hour drive from Adelaide and she was keen to join me for a road trip adventure.

Adelaide is the perfect base from which to start exploring the rest of the state. Framed by the Adelaide Hills, the city centre is filled with grand architecture, open green spaces including National Heritage-listed Parklands, and tree-lined streets, laid out in a flat easy-to-follow grid-style pattern.

My adventure begins in Adelaide. I fly from Brisbane in the afternoon, and make my way to the CBD, to No. 2 Flinders Street, my overnight stay is at the Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury Approaching the corner from King William Street, and turning into Flinders Street, I feel like I’ve time-traveled to London. The building’s exterior reminds me of the Regent’s Park townhouses designed by much-loved architect John Nash (born 1752-1835).

(This post contains an affiliate link. Should you choose to book via this link, I receive a small commission which allows me to continue writing and creating blog posts.)

Centrally located in Adelaide’s CBD, overlooking Victoria Square, this former Treasury building was built in stages from 1839 to 1907. There’s been various demolitions and rebuilds over the years, the earliest buildings have mostly been replaced, but one of the original walls remains. And in 2002 the building underwent further renovations, with many rooms converted to apartment style.

Of course, my first stop is at my favourite South Australian company, Haigh’s Chocolates (we don’t have any Haigh’s in Brisbane – which is probably a good thing). The grand building called Beehive Corner (corner of King William Street and Rundle Mall) has a long history as the first Haigh’s store to open back in 1915.

Once I’ve selected my array of sweet chocolate I wander to the Central Markets. Aisles of stalls, selling everything from books, giftware, fresh produce, bakery items, deli meats, fresh pasta, pizza, the smell of which makes my stomach grumble, reminding me, it’s been a while since breakfast. I find a stall selling freshly baked quiches and purchase lunch. During lunch, someone on the Adina reception phones to say my room is ready.

I decide to purchase fresh produce for breakfast, figuring I may as well make the most of my fully self-contained kitchen in my room.

I return to the hotel; my luggage has been sent up to my room. I make my way to the third floor in the lift and follow directions given by the friendly reception staff: turn left as I exit the lift. I walk down a very long corridor, that seems to go on forever. The further I look I feel like I’m going to bump into one of those mirrors like you find in the “House of Mirrors” at a sideshow alley (where the mirrors trick your sense of direction.)

The floorboards might be covered with thick carpet, but they creak under the weight of my footsteps, as old buildings are wont to do. I’m imagining the Government staff who walked these same corridors decades ago. I picture women strolling in conservative court shoes, dressed in long skirts with twin sets and pearls, whispering to each other as they carry paperwork from office to office.

I find the correct room number and open the door to my Premier Grand one bedroomed Apartment. The room is spacious, the high ceilings contributing to an aura of vastness. The view across Flinders Street to the park from the Playschool-style windows is partially obscured by flimsy drapes. It’s a dreamy interior.

The kitchen is galley style and roomy with all the modern conveniences; a cooktop, oven, fridge/freezer, sink and pantry with plenty of cooking utensils. 

Considering the hotel’s CBD location, my room was pin-drop quiet. And the block-out curtains were very effective, I was confused about whether it was actually morning or not. I drew back the curtains and it was morning and time to leave the comfortable queen-sized bed. I had to take a quick look through the historic tunnels (thanks for the tip from Jodi Clark) and I managed to fit in a few laps in the downstairs heated lap pool.

The Treasury Tunnels, below the hotel date back to 1839. They were originally built so government staff could move ‘undetected’ between various buildings around Victoria Square.  They were used to store important documents. Oh, and there was gold!

The treasury ‘vaults’ are said to have housed almost 13 tonnes of gold in the height of the Gold Rush period between February 1852 and 1853. According to the Adelaide City Heritage (National Trust South Australia), during the Gold Rush era, gold was ‘escorted’ from goldfields like Bendigo and Ballarat to Adelaide by the South Australian Inspector of Mounted Police, Alexander Tomerfrom. Trekking through the wilder parts of the countryside, somehow eluding the bushranger gangs prevalent at the time, the escorts were given a warm welcome by large crowds in the quadrangle of the Treasury Building.

The Adina has made use of the historic tunnels – turning them into a functional space where you can host up to 70 guests, for historic tunnel cocktail functions.

Today, there are no gathering crowds welcoming gold escorts. An outdoor courtyard is a serene place with a central water feature and manicured gardens. A relaxing pocket if you have breakfast at the restaurant or evening drinks before going out.

Don’t think for one moment that by retaining the old-world charm, they’ve forgotten about modern comforts. My room was quiet, comfortably luxe, and classically chic. A delightful home away from home in the heart of a vibrant, fun city.

The reception staff could not do enough for me and even arranged to phone my Barossa tour people to ask if they could pick me up near the hotel as it was raining quite heavily the next morning.

Whenever I’m back in Adelaide, I’m heading to the Adina Apartments Treasury.

79 Apartments: studio, one and two bedrooms (note the two-bedroomed apartments have two bathrooms.)

Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury offers convenient off-site parking located 3 minutes away on Gawler Place.

Wi-Fi

24-hour reception

Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury

2 Flinders Street
Adelaide
SA 5000 Australia
Tel: +61 8 8112 0000
Fax: +61 8 8112 0199

Disclaimer: The writer received a media rate for her stay. This has in no way influenced her review. All opinions expressed are her own.

Full disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Booking.com Should you choose to book with them via this link, they will pay me a small commission which allows me to continue writing and creating blog posts.